With the release of Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1 next week, Frank Miller is doing the rounds of promo, including interviews at Newsarama and Vulture. And they are chock full of shocking surprises.

• Although at previous press events Miller was deferential to his DKIII co-writer Brian Azzarello, saying “He’s the one working on it” in these interviews he’s way more forthright. “It is in Brian Azzarello’s hands right now, and I thoroughly applaud what he’s doing. But now that he’s doing his, it’s now a four-part series,” he told Newsarama.

• That right there will be a DKIV, and Miller will write and draw it. DKIII is just setting it up. ” I’ll read what Brian’s doing, and I will respond to that. I know what he’s doing and I applaud him completely, and I can’t wait to get started on my next book.”

• Miller also notes that the Master Race title was DC’s call. “That was generated by them. But my call is the fourth one. It’s got me all excited again, so I wanna get back to it.”

So you have a DKIII that is not really written or drawn by Frank Miller but has his name in the credits. Azzarello has previously stated that he spent a lot of time with Miller working on the story so Miller backing off a bit is a surprise at this point. But, the FOC orders are in so DC is probably not hurting too much.

As for DKIV: Miller is apparently drawing all the time, with results such as the above cover of Wonder Woman drawn as a poster for the Brazilian show CCXP, and colored by Alex Sinclair. You can judge for yourself whether a DK IV drawn in this style would be of interest. My answer: Yes.

In the interview cycle thus far’s biggest shocker, Miller reveals that far from a hardened right winger, he’s actually a libertarian who Voted for Hillary.

Are you anti-gun?
Well, I’m a hunter, so I’m not anti-gun in that sense. But I am anti-gun when it comes to actually using them on people. You’ve gotta keep in mind that I voted for Hillary Clinton for president, so I can’t be too pro-gun.

Did you really vote for Hillary Clinton?
I have. And I will again, when she gets the nomination next time.

Perhaps this ties in with the strong female characters that Miller has long been interested in.

Miller will be the guest of honor at CCXP, following a successful guest appearance at the recent Paris Comic-Con, so despite rumors of ill health last year, he’s well enough to travel and have a good time. So more Frank Miller every which way! That should be good news….right?

Heidi MacDonald is the founder and editor in chief of The Beat. In the past, she worked for Disney, DC Comics, Fox and Publishers Weekly. She can be heard regularly on the More To Come Podcast. She likes coffee, cats and noble struggle.

“You can judge for yourself whether a DK IV drawn in this style would be of interest. My answer: Yes.”

My answer: No. And I won’t be buying this BEFORE DARK KNIGHT stunt either.

In the Vulture interview there’s more backtracking than Michael Jackson ever did with his moonwalk and more flip-flopping than any school of dead fish called up by Aquaman. He also fancies himself as a hunter — he’s probably the most identifiably urban comics creator since Eisner, and even though he grew up a country-boy in Vermont, I think the closest he’s recently come to shooting wild game would be to have been held up at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Brooklyn. The crack about being a gun supporter seemed like a lame and unintentionally comedic attempt to salvage some conservative bona-fides with the segment of his dwindling fandom that is also part of the NRA. Just quit talking about politics already.

The Newsarama interview is notable for him throwing Azzarello under the bus 2015 FF Movie-style even before the fake “Master Race” comic (long live Bernard Krigstein) comes out. All this with him still having been hit by the same bus he threw Azzarello and company under. Just amazing, and totally ludicrous. Mixing metaphors, this is all such a trainwreck.

“• Miller also notes that the Master Race title was DC’s call. ‘That was generated by them. But my call is the fourth one. It’s got me all excited again, so I wanna get back to it.'”

It sounds like he’s saying not that the title but the project itself was DC’s idea. Here’s the exchange:

“But how did you pitch The Master Race to DC??
“That was not my call! That was generated by them. But my call is the fourth one. It’s got me all excited again, so I wanna get back to it.”

And he later explains the title as if it’s his idea.

I’m more heartened by the news of the fourth, all-Miller installment. I hope it happens. What this seems to be shaping into is one for the fans that’s slicker and apes things people like about the original and one where he sticks to his guns.

I don’t really listen to what artists say about “politics” — always think about director Martin Scorsese and how he was obsessed with fellow film director Elia Kazan. At some point Scorsese got to hang around with Kazan for a time, after which I heard him comment .. “Y’know, sometimes.. it’s better to know the man through his work”. By chance, many, many years ago, I got to be around Scorsese (who I revere). and from that experience, I would say the same thing about Scorsese that he said about Kazan (lol)

As far as “politics” goes: “politics” only seems to stand the test of time when it is really an artistic expression of philosophy : so we all remember how, once upon a time, Frank Miller wrote & drew a wonderful story (for which, if nothing else, he’ll always be remembered) about Batman, which, ultimately, seemed to say that Miller thinks the world needs leaders or Kings – while, at just about the same time, Alan Moore wrote a wonderful story (for which, if nothing else, he’ll always be remembered) that seemed to say we should never trust “leaders” or “kings”.

Since then I’ve had the chance to interact with Miller on occasion, and I know a number of people who’ve been close with Moore .. nobody has ever said they’re unpleasant, and what they have to say in interviews is sometimes very interesting, and still , it seems .. it’s just better to know an artist through their work.

The last time he spoke up about plans for a follow-up project to an upcoming work of his was him talking about a third SIN CITY movie a week before the second one was going to premiere.

He should not count his chickens before they turn into turds.

(If anyone wants to argue that I’m denigrating the contributions of Azzarello, Kubert et al: If they bring the effort they’re certainly capable of to make this a hit, then all due credit to them! But then this becomes just another “Before Watchmen” event, but with Batman.)

George Bush should’ve reinstated the draft after 9/11
>>
@Oliver_C :
(removing the particular personalities of Mr. Miller and Mr. Bush from the picture for a minute)
Frankly, I think SOME “conservatives” make a pretty sensible argument that if we have a draft, we would not engage in so many foreign adventures (like, say, Iraq) because political and military leaders would have get non-military professionals to put their lives on the line (every time) — and that this (a draft) is a necessary check & balance thing — I think the founding fathers were pretty clear that we way we do things now (a huge standing army) is not the way they thought outta’ be done.

Horatio,
Thanks for voicing the opinion– apparently pretty rare among current comics-fans– that artists can have pertinent things to say even if you don’t like their politics, personalities, or whatever.